Learn about the national CPT test eligibility requirements. Candidates must meet the requirements by the Certification Council. Registration forms are available here. These sections will layout the areas to consider as a candidate to be a Certified Personal Trainer Level 1. The application to fill out and send in with payment is below. Candidates will test in hundreds of collegiate sites across the United States and Canada.
The Certification Council has approved requirements for eligibility to ensure that the application process is fair and impartial for all applicants. All candidates for certification must meet all the eligibility requirements established by the Council in effect at the time of their application for certification. Candidates cannot earn certification without passing the certification examination.
National Test Dates & Forms
Fee $450 includes the written 2 hour exam & a scheduled practical skill competency exam with a mock client. It can be paid with credit card, debit card or check. Returned check fees will incur a $35 fee.
Proof of CPR/AED needs to be sent by fax 757-428-3873 or e mailed to witstesting@witseducation.com within 60 days after taking the exam.
Applying for Certification
Fairness and non-Discrimination Statement
W.I.T.S. adheres to principles of fairness and due process and endorses the principles of equal opportunity. In administering the certification program, W.I.T.S. does not discriminate or deny opportunity to anyone on the basis of race, color, creed, age, gender, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, parental status, ancestry, sexual orientation, military discharge status, or source of income. All candidates for certification will be judged solely on the published eligibility criteria determined by the Certification Council.
Eligibility Criteria
W.I.T.S. has developed requirements for eligibility to ensure that the application process is fair and impartial for all applicants. All candidates for certification must meet all the eligibility requirements established by the Council in effect at the time of their application for certification. Candidates cannot earn certification without passing both the written and practical certification examinations.
Each eligibility requirement has been established to ensure that entry-level individuals certified by W.I.T.S. have an acceptable level of knowledge and personal training practical skill needed to demonstrate personal training-specific competency and a commitment to consumer safety in addressing health and fitness challenges and to assist people of all fitness levels reach their personal fitness goals. In establishing these requirements, the Certification Council acknowledges that a combination of both work education, training and demonstrated knowledge are essential for individuals earning the CPT-Level I credential.
All candidates must meet the following criteria to earn the CPT-Level I credential:
*A live, hands-on skills assessment verified by a qualified CPR instructor is required.
Eligibilty Rationale
Each eligibility requirement has been selected to support the purpose of the CPT-Level I credential.
Age
Fitness employer’s minimum age to hire is 18 years.
Education
W.I.T.S. certifications are intended for individuals who wish to become employed in the United States. The majority of employers require reading comprehension and English proficiency. For these reasons, a high school diploma or its equivalent is accepted as the minimum educational requirement.
Training
W.I.T.S. requires that all applicants have successfully demonstrated hands-on skills needed to effectively perform adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for response to first aid, breathing and cardiac emergencies.
Ethics
W.I.T.S. certificants and candidates have the obligations to: maintain high standards of integrity and professional conduct; accept responsibility for their actions; continually seek to enhance their professional capabilities; practice with fairness and honesty; and, encourage others to act in a professional manner, consistent with the certification standards and responsibilities. All candidates and certificants are required to agree and adhere to an enforceable to Code of Ethics as a condition of certification. The online registry enables stakeholders to view the credentials of W.I.T.S. certificants, thereby enhancing consumer safety in the field of personal training.
Examinations
Applicants are required to pass both the written and practical CPT-Level I examinations to demonstrate that their education and training have resulted in a sufficient understanding of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to provide safe and competent evidence-based personal training services as determined by the job analysis study and represented on the examination content outline.
Request for Eligibility Reconsideration
A candidate whose eligibility for initial certification or recertification has been denied may request reconsideration of the decision. The formal request for reconsideration must be submitted in writing to
W.I.T.S. The request should state the reasons the candidate believes he/she is eligible for certification or recertification and how he/she complies with the published requirements. A $50 Appeal Review Fee is required with every reconsideration request submitted.
The Director of Certification will review the request within 15 days. If the issue cannot be resolved by the Director of Certification, the request is referred to the Council Chair and the Reconsideration Committee. The candidate can also ask that the request be referred to the Council Chair if the candidate can provide information and/or documentation that was not available previously to the Certification Director.
The Reconsideration Committee will review the request and make a final determination. The candidate is notified of the decision within 14 days. This process may take up to a maximum of 45 days to complete.
Application Requirements
W.I.T.S. provides an online application for the certification examination process. Applicants begin the registration process by completing an online application at www.witseducation.com/fit/certification/national-test-eligibility-requirements-exam-forms. Online applications are downloadable and may also be submitted via USPS. Applications must be submitted online or via USPS unless the applicant has a disability that requires the application to be submitted in another format.
All applications must be received by W.I.T.S. a minimum of 35 days prior to the requested test date.
An applicant may submit required documentation to W.I.T.S. either electronically, faxed, or USPS.
- Documents e-mailed: cparsons@witseducation.com
- Documents faxed: 757-428-3873
- Documents mailed: W.I.T.S.,1624 Laskin Rd, Suite 736, #177, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
W.I.T.S. is not responsible for documentation submitted on behalf of a candidate and will not return documentation. Originals should not be remitted.
Documentation Verification
The following information must be submitted with the application form and is verified by W.I.T.S. certification staff. Applicants who fail to demonstrate that they meet all of the eligibility requirements will not be permitted to take the CPT-Level I examinations.
Age
Applicants attest to being 18 years of age when completing the certification application. Applications are reviewed to ensure the attestation is completed.
Education
Applicants attest to having earned a high school diploma or GED equivalent when completing the certification application. Applications are reviewed to ensure the attestation is completed.
Training
Applicants must submit a current copy of Adult CPR/AED certification that includes a practical skills examination component (i.e. American Heart Association; American Red Cross). W.I.T.S. requires a live, hands-on skills assessment verified by a qualified CPR instructor.
Ethics
To ensure that the applicant has read the Code of Ethics and agrees to adhere to its requirements, the application form will be reviewed to ascertain that the applicant has signed the Code of Ethics.
Examination Fees
A $450 examination fee includes registration for both the written and practical examinations. W.I.T.S. accepts payment in the form of check, money order, or credit card. Applicants incur a $35 fee for returned checks.
Incomplete Applications
An application is considered incomplete if any of the requested information is missing or illegible or the appropriate fee is not included.
Candidates are notified once via email that the application is incomplete and what must be done to complete the application. If the candidate does not respond, an email notification is sent to inform the candidate that the application will not be processed.
Applications must be complete before they are processed and approved.
exam Scheduling
All applications for testing must be received by W.I.T.S. a minimum of 35 days prior to the requested test date. W.I.T.S. certification staff will review and process all applications and supporting documentation within three to five business days. Applicants whose applications are completed and approved are scheduled for testing and receive, via email, a notification with instructions to download and print the authorization to test confirming the requested test date, location, and exam day instructions. W.I.T.S. certification staff add eligible candidates to the test site’s official roster.
Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Refunds
Cancelling an appointment
Candidates with a confirmed testing appointment must contact the W.I.T.S. at least 14 days prior to the scheduled appointment for a partial refund. W.I.T.S. is not responsible for expenses incurred by the candidate due to the candidate’s cancellation or modification of a test session, location changes, or time changes. The candidate is never penalized for a weather-related issue, examiner illness or site technical issue which requires the appointment to be rescheduled.
Rescheduling an appointment
Candidates requesting to reschedule a testing appointment must contact W.I.T.S. at least 7days prior to the scheduled appointment. Rescheduling is subject to availability of space at a testing site during the testing window. Applicants incur a $75 fee for rescheduling an examination.
Candidates who request to reschedule an examination less than 7 days before their appointment, fail to appear for the scheduled examination, or arrive late and are refused admission, will forfeit the entire examination fee.
Refunds
Applications and corresponding fees are valid for one (1) year from the date of submission. Applicants who request to withdraw a certification application within three (3) business days after receipt by W.I.T.S. or an applicant determined by to be ineligible to test will be sent a full refund of the examination fee, minus a $25 processing fee.
W.I.T.S. does not issue refunds on review materials, practice tests, or continuing education materials.
Preparing for the Examination
Exam development
The Certification Council provides oversight for the development and ongoing maintenance of the CPT-Level I certification program. The W.I.T.S. examinations are developed and maintained in a manner consistent
with generally accepted psychometric, educational testing practices, and national accreditation standards for certification programs as described below.
Studying for the examination
As a certification organization, W.I.T.S.’s role is in developing and administering certification examinations to determine the qualifications of candidates for certification. W.I.T.S does not require, provide, or endorse any specific study guides, review products, and/or training courses. Candidates may prepare for certification examinations with any educational materials they choose. Purchase of review materials is not a requirement for testing, nor does use of any review materials guarantee a passing score on a certification examination.
Exam Content Outline
The content for the examinations are determined based upon the exam blueprint and content category weights developed from the Job Analysis Study. The final exam content outlines and corresponding content weights are outlined below and also published on the W.I.T.S. website at https://witseducation.com/certification-old/certified-personal-trainer-level-1/.
Written ExaminationDomain 1: Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics — 38% Domain 2: Client Assessment — 16% Domain 3: Exercise Prescription —11% Domain 4: Muscular Fitness — 4% Domain 5: Cardio Respiratory 4% Domain 6: Flexibility — 3% Domain 7: Business of Personal Training —24% | Practical ExaminationPart I: Assessments — 21% Part 2: Warm Up — 8% Part 3: Flexibility — 39% Part 4: Upper & Lower Body Exercises — 32% |
Exam specifications
The CPT-Level I is comprised of a two-part examination – a 100 multiple-choice examination and a performance-based (practical) examination. The written examination must be taken prior to the practical examination.
The written CPT–Level I examination consists of 100 multiple-choice items each worth one point and ten (10) pretest items that are unscored. The 100 scored items are assembled to meet the content outline at the objective level while the additional ten (10) items are selected from and distributed across the exam content outline. The written examination is offered in paper-and-pencil format. The examination consists of four-option, multiple-choice questions. Candidates are allotted 2 hours to complete the examination.
The Practical Skills exam is a scenario-based exam in which the candidate is given the mock client’s medical history, individual goals, age, and gender. Candidates will read the case scenario and use it to proceed with proper warm up, assessments, stretches and exercises. The practical examination is a hands-on performance-based format comprised of one scenario followed by four (4) main sections. Candidates are allotted 30 minutes to complete the examination.
Language
All W.I.T.S. certification examinations are prepared and offered in English only. Special accommodations requesting translation dictionaries and/or extra time on the examination are not permitted.